A Dog Day

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A toddler's emotions are explored through the eyes of a friendly terrier in this charming picture book.

Welcome to a day in the life of a friendly terrier. He just wants to go to the park with his friends to play ball, but his owner has other ideas...

Complemented by stylish pen and ink drawings, British illustrator Emily Rand's debut book is a warm and witty take on the toddler's experience of having to wait for grownups when they'd rather be having fun.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

In her first picture book, British artist Rand creates a sympathetic surrogate for impatient children in the form of a curly-haired terrier, out on a walk with his owner: "The park's just there, behind that wall./ I hope that he has brought my ball./ But hold on wait.../ there's the gate!" While these and other rhymes aren't particularly distinctive, it's easy to sink into the details and textures of Rand's handsome illustrations, drafted in blacks and grays on off-white stock. After they bypass the park, much to the dog's dismay, they travel through streets crowded with fashionably dressed men and women, friendly children, shops, and cafes. "He always has to stop and talk./ "I thought that we were on a walk," moans the dog, facing away from readers as he stares out from inside a hardware store; the park across the street, where a black dog roams free, is tantalizingly, infuriatingly close. While it's clear that it's all about the destination for this dog (and, yes, he finally gets to enjoy the park), the quaint urban setting makes the journey worthwhile. For readers, anyhow. Ages 2-4. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1-A patient Airedale terrier is anxious to meet up with his canine friends in the park. His owner seems to have another idea. The rhyming text begins with shared enthusiasm for a romp in the park. Unfortunately, the sports-coated man bypasses the gates to visit various shops, have a chat, then adds insult to injury by snacking at a café next door to the park. When the Airedale finally gets to romp with peers, all is forgiven. Rand's magnificent line drawings, done in black-and-white and shades of gray, skillfully convey textures like beards and textiles, and include vantages varying from human to dog perspective. Her flat-styled cast establishes a pleasant retro feel. VERDICT The spare plot may not engage all listeners but the detailed illustrations and sympathetic protagonist make this a sweet read.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.